Mike Hampton almost did the unthinkable yesterday. He nearly shared the back page with the released Rickey Henderson.

With only the injured Rey Ordonez left on his bench, manager Bobby Valentine used Hampton to pinch-hit for Armando Benitez in the ninth inning.

Down 7-6, Hampton almost won the game with a two-run homer to left that just went foul.

“I just went up there and tried to hit the ball hard,” said Hampton, who starts today aginst the Marlins’ Brad Benny. “I guess every hitter has their standard answer.”

Hampton hit .311 last season with the Astros. He became the first pitcher since Catfish Hunter in 1971 to hit more than .300 and win more than 20 games. Yesterday was the first pinch-hit duty of his major-league career. He ended up striking out against Antonio Alfonseca, who picked up his 13th save after retiring Matt Franco a batter later. Hampton said that he knew the ball was foul.

“Unless one of those big planes came by and messed up the wind at the right time,” said the 27-year-old Hampton.

Hampton found out he would be pinch-hitting when Valentine came up to him at the beginning of the ninth.

More importantly for Hampton and the Mets, the lefty goes today, trying to continue what he started last week in Pittsburgh. After struggling for most of this season, Hampton threw 81/3 innings of shutout ball Tuesday to improve to 3-4.

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Joe McEwing made his first Met start yesterday and showed his versatility. He began the game in center, but moved to left and shortstop. He led off and had a ninth-inning double for his one hit in four at-bats. He scored to cut the Marlins’ lead to 7-6.

McEwing’s case is the same as that of Benny Agbayani, but he actually was in Triple-A. Last year, the 27-year-old finished sixth in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting. This included a 25-game hitting streak. He was at Norfolk before yesterday.

“It’s very rewarding,” said McEwing, who was acquired by the Mets from the Cardinals for Jesse Orosco in the spring. “We play this game to compete every day at the major-league level. That is what everyone’s dream is.”

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Edgardo Alfonzo (right calf) was in the lineup, a day after missing a start due to the injury … Melvin Mora put on the DL because of stitches on his index finger of his right hand said he felt better yesterday. He suffered the injury Friday, while bunting.